Alternating-current relay



May 26, 1925.

E. O. THOMPSON .ALTERNATING CURRENT RELAY Filed July 1922 22 nuuu l 4 w m Y m J m 4 ,E R 9. a L m H Q T 9 M 0 A d l n m 8 I 7 1 Z r, 4 4 M 4 p 6 v 0 5 Z I/ Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER 0. THOMPSON, F TOMPKINSVILLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN TELE- PHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY- A CORPORATION 01 NEW YORK.

ALTERN ATING-CURREN T RELAY.

Application filed July 19,

To all whomit may concern.

Be it known that I, Emma O. THOMPSON, residing at Tompkinsville, in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Alternat' ing-Current Relays, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to relays, and more particularly to devices of this character which areada ted to be used in connection with electrical currents of comparatively high frequency.

An object of the invention is to provide an alternating current relay that shall have great sensitivity and high selectivity, and which shall respond with certainty to ourrents of a desired frequency. Another object of the invention is to rovide means for the adjustment and polarization of the device. These objects and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, when read in connection with the attached drawings, in which certain embodiments thereof are illustrated.

In the drawings, in which like characters of reference designate like parts throughout, Figure 1 is a top view in section of the improved relay; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof taken on the line 2-2 looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the device taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a diagram of the magnetic circuit for said relay. The relay shown in the drawing is designed to respond selectively, for instance to alternating currentsof 1000 cycles. such current 18 employed on long telephone lines for signaling and comes in much attenuated to a terminal station.

Referring-to the drawings, 5 represents a base having brass blocks 6, 6 secured on either end thereof by means of screws 7, 7. In the. approximate center of the base 5, between the blocks 6, 6 a pair of U-shaped yokes 8 and 9 is mounted in horizontal position with their poles facing each other. The yokes are provided with windings 10 and 11, respectively, which are wound thereon in the customary manner. The mountings for the yokes 8 and 9 are provided by a pairof standards 12 and 13, respectively. The standards are afiixed to the yokes inany suitable fashion and to the base 5 by meansof screws, which are positioned in the slots 14 of each of the standards. The yokes 8' J,

. contact 26, as will later 1922. Serial No. 576,048.

and 9, with their attached windings, may be moved within the limits of the slots toward and from each other, as more clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The air gap between said yokes may be thus regulated.

Spools 15 and 16 and associated windings are mounted on the base 5 in the space between the windings 10 and 11 and secured to said base, for instance, by brackets 17 and 18, respectively, which may be screwed thereto. n armature 20, which may consist ofa ribbon orwire made of silicon steel, or like material of high permeability, is aflixed in any suitable manner to the block 6 at one 'end of the base 5. The armature extends and is fashioned to an adjusting bar 21, associated with the companion blocks 6 at the opposite end of said base. The bar 21 is ad justably connected with a tuning screw 22, which is threaded through the associated block 6. The armature 20 passes through the cores of tween the poles of the yokes 8 and 9. It it actuated by the magnetic influence of said spools and yokes and may be tuned to a desired frequency by means of the adjusting screw 22.

The windings 10 and 11 are connected with a source of re ulated direct current, and the windings of spools 15 and 16 are connected with a source of alternating current, as will later appear.

A vertical member 23 is secured to the base 5 and is positioned in the approximate center thereof between the spools 15 and 16 and at one side of the armature 20. The member 23 is provided with an adjusting screw 24 threaded through the upper part thereof. This screw serves to adjust contact spring 25, which extends upwardly from the base 5. A vibrating contact 26 is positioned on the opposite side of the armature 20 from that of spring 25, and is mounted vertically upon a lug provided on the lower part of said spring. A flange 27, having a V- shaped slot provided therein, extends at right angles from the spring 25, and said slot @rves as a guide for the contact 26 when it is vibrated by the armature 20. The armature 20 is controlled by the magnetic influence of the coils and yokes, and when actuated completes a circuit through the apear. The members 23,25 and 26 are insulated from each other and from the base 5 in any desired manner.

the spools 15 and 16 and lies be- 1 In the diagram of Fig. 4, the circuit for tained, and a correspondingly large amplipolarizing the relay may be traced from tude for the incoming current. The flux for battery, conductor 28, winding of yoke 9, the alternating current has two air gaps in conductor 29, winding of yoke 8, and remultiple which causes a lower reluctance 5 turn by way of conductor 30. The path for and a correspondingly increased magnetic alternating current may be traced from flux in said armature. Furthermore, the source of alternating current, conductor 31, amplitude at the point of contact of the windings of spool 15 and 1G, and return by armature is considerably greater than at way of conductor 32. the point of magnetic pull exerted by said The application of direct current over the yokes, thus causing the contact. gap to be 7 path just traced through the windings of less afiected by atmospheric conditions and yokes 8 and 9 induces a magnetic flux more readily adjustable. through said yokes in the direction indicated From the foregoing, it is thought that by the dotted arrows. The armatures 20, the construction, operation and the many however, will not be moved under this conadvantages of the herein described-and de- 80 dition. lineated invention will be apparent to those The application of alternating "current skilled in the art without further descripcauses the armature to vibrate between tion, and it will be understood that various the poles of the yokes 8 and 9, and assumchanges in the shape, proportion and minor 20 ing the alternating current flows in the didetails of construction may be resorted to 95 reetion indicated by the arrows in full lines, without departing from the spirit or sacrithe ends of the armature 20 will be magficing any of the advantages of the invennetized as represented, north and south. tion.

The north pole of the armature 20 will be What is claimed is:

attracted toward the south pole of the yoke 1. A relay comprising a base, yokes ad- 90 8 and the south pole of the armature will justably supported thereon having their be attracted toward the north pole of said poles oppositely positioned with respect to yoke. The attractive force presented by the each other, windings for said yokes, a pair south and'north poles of the yoke 8 upon of spools including windings therefor the armature 20 will be aided by the remounted on said base between said yokes. 95

pelling force of the opposite poles of yoke a spring member mounted on said base,

9. Upon reversal or negative flow of the means for adjusting said spring member, alternating current, the polarity of the and an armature positioned longitudinally armature 20 is changed and said armature of said yokes and centrally of said spools,

is attracted toward yoke 9 in a manner corsaid armature being adapted to make conresponding to that described in connection tact with said spring member, and means with its attraction toward yoke 8. Each on said basefor adjusting the tension of time the armature 20 is attracted toward said armature. yoke 9 it makes contact with the contact 2. A relay comprising a base, yokes ad- 40 point 26. The relay will operate, for exjustably supported thereon, windingsfor 105 ample, on current of 1000 cycles per secsaid yokes through which direct current may 0nd. During the time current is applied flow, a pair of spools including windings the armature 20 of the relay will vibrate in therefor through which alternating current unison with the impressed alternating curmay flow, a spring member mounted on said rent frequency, thus at each cycle making base, and an armature positioned longitucontact with the flexible contact spring 26 dinally of said yokes and centrally of said which normally rests against the V-shaped spools adapted tomake contact with said' stop or guide of the member 25; Ground is spring member, the amplitude of movement connected to the armature 20 at one end of said armature under the magnetic influthereof and the contact point 26 is connected ence of the direct current and alternating 115 to an electromagnetic device such as a recurrent being greater at the pointof contact lay which in turn mav be connected with than at the point of'magnetic pull exerted a source of current. During the series of by said yokes. intermittent contacts of the armature 20 3.- A relay comprising a base, yokes adwith the point 26, a circuit may be closed justably supported thereon, windings for 120 from ground connected with said armature said yokes through which direct current may to battery through any electromagnetic deflow, a pair of spools including windings vice included in the circuit, and said relay therefor through which alternating current or electromagnetic device in turn may conmay flow, a spring member mounted on said trol other apparatus and cause it to funcbase, an armature positioned longitudinally 125 tion at the same frequency as that of armaof said yokes and centrally oi said spools ture 20. adapted to make contact with said spring Thus it will be seen that by means of the member, the amplitude of movement of said improved relay, with its ribbon armature oi armature under the magnetic influence of high permeability, greater sensitivity is atthe direct current and alternating current justably being greater at the point of contact than at the point of magnetic pull exerted by said yokes, and means mounted on said base for adjusting the tension of said armature.

4. A relay comprising a base, yokes adpoles oppositely positioned with respect to each other, wlndings' for said yokes through which direct current may flow, a pair of spools including windings therefor through which alternating current may flow mounted on said base between said yokes, a spring member mounted on said base, means for adjusting said s ring member, and an armature positione longitudinally of said yokes and centrally of said spools adapted to make contact with said spring member, the amplitude of movement of said armature under the magnetic influence of the direct current and alternating current being greater at the point of contact than at the point of magnetic pull exerted by said yokes.

5. A relay comprising a base, yokes adjustably supported thereon having their poles facing each other, yokes through which direct current may flow, a pair of spools including windings therefor through which alternatlng current may flow, and an armature positioned longitudinally of said yokes and centrally of said spools, the field produced in the supported thereon having their armature at the windings for said magnetic system by said alternating current having two air gaps in multiple whereby a lower reluctance and a corres ondingly lncreased magnetic flux is created for said armature.

6. A relay comprising a base, yokes adustably supported thereon havin their poles facing each other, windings or said yokes through which direct current may flow, a pair of spools including windings therefor through which may flow, an armature dinally of said spools, the field produced in the magnetic system by said a ternating current having two air gaps in multiple whereby a lower reluctance and a correspondingly increased magnetic flux is created for said armature, a spring member mounted on said base with which said armature is adapted to make contact, the amplitude of movement of said point of contact being reater than at the point of magnetic pul exerted by said yokes, means for adjusting the positioned longitutension of said armature and means for adusting said'sprin mem r.

In testimony w ereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 18th day of July, 1922.

ELMER O. THOMPSON.

alternating current yokes and centrally of said 

